West Memphis 3 Crime Scene — Photos Exclusive

We do not host these photos. We describe them exclusively to settle a debate: There is no "smoking gun" in the Robin Hood Hills ditch. The exclusive crime scene photos of the West Memphis 3 do not prove Damien Echols was a killer, nor do they prove Terry Hobbs (one stepfather) was the killer.

In 1993, police discovered the mutilated bodies of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers in a wooded area known as the Robin Hood Hills in West Memphis. The crime scene was particularly notable for the brutal nature of the murders, with the boys' bodies found mutilated and posed. west memphis 3 crime scene photos exclusive

West Memphis Three case remains one of the most controversial in American legal history, largely due to the visceral nature of the original crime scene photos and the lack of physical evidence linking the convicted teenagers to the scene. We do not host these photos

While "exclusive" crime scene photos are often touted by true-crime blogs, official and legal archives strictly control this material: In 1993, police discovered the mutilated bodies of

One of the most baffling aspects of the crime scene photos is the lack of blood found at the site. This led many to believe the boys were murdered elsewhere and transported to the creek, or that the water had washed away vital DNA evidence. The DNA Revolution

For three decades, the case of the West Memphis 3 has haunted the American South. It is a labyrinth of Satanic Panic, coerced confessions, and rock star justice. But before the documentaries ( Paradise Lost ) and the celebrity fundraisers, there was the raw, visceral reality of May 5, 1993. On that day, the bodies of Steve Edward Branch (8), Michael Anthony Moore (8), and Christopher Byers (8) were found in a drainage ditch known as Robin Hood Hills.